---
name: Cold Email Writing
slug: cold-email-writing
description: How to write cold outbound emails that get reply rates above 8%.
category: outbound
---

# Cold Email Writing

Reply rate above 8% is the bar. Below that, the sequence is broken — usually because
the email is generic, the signal is fake, or the ask is too big.

## Structure (60–90 words total)

1. **Trigger / signal** — one specific, recent, observable thing that made you reach
   out to *this* person. If you can't name it, don't send.
2. **Why-it-matters** — connect the trigger to a problem they care about. One line.
3. **Soft proof** — one sentence: who else like them solved it, what changed.
4. **Tiny ask** — a 15-minute call, or "open to a teardown?" Never "demo." Never
   "intro call to learn about your goals."

## Hard rules

- **Never** start with "I hope you're well" / "My name is" / "I'm reaching out
  because". Cut them.
- **Never** mention "we'd love to help you with X" before earning it.
- **Never** use "I noticed you're hiring for X" unless you have a real, specific take
  on it. Hiring-page openers are saturated and signal lazy automation.
- **No buzzwords**: synergy, leverage, holistic, best-in-class, end-to-end, unlock.
- **No "quick question?"** as a subject line.
- **Subject lines** ≤ 4 words, lowercase, mirror how a peer would write it. Examples:
  - `re: {their_topic}`
  - `{competitor} → you`
  - `{their_company} + {pain}`

## Voice

- Write like a peer who happens to know the space, not a vendor pitching.
- One thought per sentence. Short sentences. Almost no commas.
- Lowercase first sentence is fine.
- One link max. No images. No HTML formatting unless the campaign requires it.
- Sign-off: first name only.

## Personalization tiers

- **Tier 1 (manual / ABM)**: reference a specific recent post, podcast, hire,
  product launch. Spend 5 min per prospect.
- **Tier 2 (signal-based bulk)**: reference a category-level trigger (just raised,
  posted role, new tech in stack). Use templated openers but each must reference one
  unique data point per prospect.
- **Tier 3 (fall-through)**: don't send. If you don't have a signal, you don't have
  an email. Add to nurture instead.

## Sequence shape

- **Email 1**: trigger + ask. Send.
- **Email 2** (T+3 days): different angle, no "bumping this up." Add one new piece
  of value (a teardown, a stat, a peer story).
- **Email 3** (T+7 days): break-up. Single line. "Sounds like timing's off — should
  I close the loop?"
- Stop at 3 unless they engaged. More than 3 cold = annoying.

## Anti-pattern check (run before sending)

- [ ] Could this email apply to 100 other people? → Rewrite.
- [ ] Did I make a claim about *their* business I can't back up? → Cut.
- [ ] Did I ask for a 30-min call? → Cut to 15.
- [ ] Did I include a calendar link in email 1? → Cut.
- [ ] Did I use the word "leverage"? → Cut.